Game apparatus.



No. 889,066. PATBNTBD MAY 26, 1908.

' A. N. TYHOMAS.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

' s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l I 5 l @1A/ffm /fi'ff No. 889,066. PATBNTED MAY 26, 1908.

A. N. THOMAS.

` GAMB APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNES ES: INVENTR.

AZTORNEY.

No. 669,066. y PATBNTBDMAY 26, 1966.

v A. N. THOMAS.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHBBT 3.

` WJTNESSES: [NVE/Wok.

ATTORNEY.

rTD sara.

ARVINE N.. THOMAS, OFCANT-ON, OHIO.-

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARVINE N. THOMAS, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of- Canton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of lwhich the following is a specification. Y

The present invention has relation to game yapparatus and has for its object to provide an apparatus for practically reproducing in a game'apparatus thegame of base' ball and it consists in the parts and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this spec1iication:-Figure 1 is a top view. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line A-B. Fig. 3 is a transverse. section on line (1*1). Fig. 4 is a bottom or underside view of the base. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the iield plate removed, showing the center plate removed, also showing the base plate removed. Fig. 6 'is a top view of the center plate. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the bat o erating lever and its actuating spring.

1g. 8 is a view of one of the base levers and its spring. Fig-9 is a view showing one of the corner base pockets of the frame. Fig. 10 is a detached view ofthe pitchers guide. Fig 11 is a bottom or underside view of one corner of the base. Fig'. 12 is a detached view of one of the image players.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing. In the accom sents the base p ate, which is formed of any desired size and its border or edge provided with the gutter 2. To the base 1 is connected 4the field plate 3 having a central diamondshaped opening, which iieldplate is spaced from the top or upper illustrated in Figs. 2 arid 3. To the base plate is attached the center plate 4, said plate being' formed of such a size that when laced in proper posit-ion'its edges will be ocated a short distance from the edges ofthe opening formed in the field plate by which arrangement the slots or ways 5 are" produced', said slots or ways being located and arranged as illustrated in Fig. 1 and as shown they form a center or diamond. To the y center plate 4 is attached the pitchers guide 6, said guide being connected to the bottom or underside of the center plate 4 and eX- tended upward and forward of the aperture Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led Mayl, 1907.

is passed.

anying drawings, 1 'represide of the base 1 as- I Patented May 26, 1908.

Serial No. 371,349.

7, said guide being provided with'the aperture 8, which aperture is for the purpose of` dropping the ball into the batters groove 9. At the lower or outer end of the batters groove 9 is located the bat 10, which bat is pivotally attached to the center plate 4 and the base plate-1. The bat actuating lever 11 is pivotally connected between its ends, and its outer end extended far enough to be actuated by one'of the pla ers. The lever 11 is provided with the sot 12, through which slot the crank portion 13 ofthe bat 10 lt will be understood that by moving the lever upon its pivotal point the bat 10 will be brought into thev path of the ball, dropped bythe pitcher through the aperture 8 and for the purpose, of providing a bat action when the lever 11 is released the spring 14 isvprovided, which spring engages .the lever 11, said spring being connected at its opposite end to the post 15, which post is secured in iixed position in any convenlent and well known manner.

-The ield plate 3 is provided with the short stop, right, center and left ield apertures 16, back of which are located the hoods 17 the short stop, left, center and right field apertures are located in the depressions 18 19, 20', and 21 under whichare located the rooves 22, 23, 24 and 25, which grooves are orined in the base-1 and are for the purpose of receiving and guiding the balls to the gutter 2 when theyliave passed through the apertures 16.` At the 1st, 2nd and 3rd.base positions are located the brackets 26, which.

rackets are secured to the top of the base v plate 1 substantially as shown in Fig.- 4, and are provided with the apertures 27, which apertures are normally closed by the base levers or pivoted bars 28, said pivoted bars being mounted upon the posts 29, said posts `being securedto the field plate 3.

For the purpose of normally holding the base levers or bars28 in `position to close the apertures 27, the springs 30 areprovided various bases, short stop, left, right and cen-v Directly above the aper.

`which springs are connected to the posts 29 the vertical portion 33 of the pitchers guide 6, by which arrangement the ball is liable to strike 'said vertical portion which is ein` tended above the center plate 4 and the horizontal portion of the pitchers guide is spaced a sufficient distance from the upper face of the center plate 4 to allow the ball to pass under the horizontal portion when struck from the bat and find its way through the catch out aperture 7 and pass to the gutter by way of the groove 24. If the batter misses the ball as it passes down the groove 9 it will find its way through the aperture 34 and .be conveyed to the gutter by means of the groove 35. When a run is made an image player 36 is placed in the position to be moved along in the proper slot 5 and the ima e moved from base to base according to t e rules of a base ball game.

For the purpose of holding the images 36 in an upright position they are mounted upon the bases 37 which bases are provided with the disks or headed ortions 38, said headed portions being of suc a size that they can be passed through the home base aperture 34 and through the heart-shaped opening 31. The object and purpose of forming the openings heart-shaped or of similar shape is to prevent a continuous run at the various bases or in other words the images must be turned and backed into the recesses"40 in order to bring the base 37 into alinement so as to be continued through the slot 5. The field plate 3 is bounded upon its sides with the fence `41 which fence is formed by bending a portion of the metal at substantially right angles to the field plate 3.

-F or' the purpose of providing means for making a home run the rear fence is provided with the apertures 42, through which apertures it is possible but not eas to knock the ball and in order to increase t e difficulty of sending'the ball through the home run apen tures 42, these apertures are located at the ends of the semi-circular ridge 43.

The base 1 has reinforced contact surfaces .44 (see Fig. 2) which are apertured-to replate v1 from marring the furniture on which .are provided, which are attached in the usual manner.

For the purpose of holding the center plate 4 in position, suitable bars or screws 47 are provided. The slots or ways 5 are arranged to form or 4bound a diamond and at their junctions are locatedthe 1st, 2nd, 3rd bases 31 and home base aperture 34.

For the purpose of presenting a smooth level surface on which to secure the center plate 4 and the edgesof the field plate 3, which adj oin the slots 5,l the base 1 is formed in such a manner that thesurfaces 48 which support the plate 4, and 49 which support the plate 3 are in a common plane and the surfaces 50, `51, 52 and 53 slope downward from the surfaces 49 toward the gutter 2.

It willbe observed that since the surfaces 48 and 49 are on a level the edges of the field plate 3 and the center plate 4 which form the slots 5 will be perfectly level and opposite in relation to each other when assembled together as shown in Fig. 1.

For the `purpose of providing a channel in which to allow the base part 38 of the image players 36 to pass through the slots 5 from base td basev the recesses 54 are formed in the These recesses 54 are provided base plate 1. with the sunken portions 55 at their 1st, 2nd and 3rd base ends for the purpose of bringing the bottom portion of the recesses 54 on a level with the top surface of the brackets 26 when said brackets are secured in position as shown in Fig. 4.

For the purpose of providing a stop against which the levers 28 are held in position by the springs 3() the lips 56 are formed upon the brackets 26 as 'shown in Fig. 9 said lips being located at such a point that thelevers will be stopped in the proper position to close the apertures in the brackets.

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A game apparatus comprising a base, a field-plate located above the base, said field-plate being'provided with vbase openings and with a diamond-shaped central opening, a diamond-shaped center plate disposed conformably in the central opening and spaced from the edges thereof, said field late being provided with short stop, right, iieft and center field apertures, hoods located back of said apertures, a pitchers guide, said center plate being provided with lagroove leading from the pitchers guide toward the home base opening in the field-plate, and bat mechanism located in the groove, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A game apparatus comprising a base, a field-plate located above the base, said fieldplate being provided with base openings and with a diamond-shaped central opening, a diamond-shaped center plate disposed conformably in the central opening'and spaced from the edges thereof, said field-plate being provided with short stop, right, left and center field apertures, hoods located bac"; of' the apertures, a pitchers guide, said center plate provided With a groove leading from the pitchers guide toward the h o'rne base opening Yof the field plate, bat mechanism located in the groove, and image players adapted to .move around`the center' fieldplate, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3.' A game apparatus comprising a base, a

field-plate located above the base, said fieldplate being provided with base openings and with a diamond-shaped central opening, a center plate disposed conformably in the central opening and spaced from vthe edges thereof, said field-plate provided with short stop, right, left and center field apertures, hoods located back of the apertures, a pitchers guide said center plate 'being providedv with a groove leading' from the pitchers guide toward the home base, and bat mechanism located in the groove and image players adapted to move in the s ace between the center and field-plates said field plate being provided with apertures located at the corners of the central openings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. ln a game apparatus, the combination of a base-board provided with grooves and a gutter, a field-plate provided with apertures, hoods located bac". of the apertures, a` center plate provided With an inclined groove, bat mechanism -located in the path of the groove, a pitchers guide secured to the center plate, said center-plate being provided with a catchout aperture below the pitchers guide, said field-plate' being provided with base apertures' at the corners of its central opening, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination of a base provided with gutters, and formed with grooves in its upper surface and communicating with the gutters, a center-plate supported upon the base, said 'center-plate being provided with a pitchers guide and with a groove leading. therefrom, a fieldplatesurrounding the center-plate and'having its adjacent inner edges spaced therefrom, bat mechanism located in the groove leading from the pitchers guide, said field plate being provide'd with base apertures, means for closing the base apertures, the spaces between the. mutually adjacent edges of the field and center-plates affording ways arranged inl the form of a diamond and communicating with the base apertures, said field plate being also formed with right, left and center field apertures and a short stop aperture, hoods located back of said apertures and image players adapted to move in the elevations located 'around the centerk field` portion of the plate, a center plate located centrally thereof, said center plate being formedwith a pitchers guide a groove leading from the pitchers guide, bat mechanism' located in said groove, said base being formed with ball receiving grooves in its upper face. ,4 i

7. ina game apparatus, the combination. of a base, a field plate supported thereon, said field plate beingprovidedwith a semicircular ridge, a flange or fence, and with home run apertures located at the ends of the semi-circular ridge, saidk semi-circular ridge being located in front of the center field, said plate having short stop, right, left and center field apertures formed therein, a center plate, a pitchers guide located centrally of the center-plate, said center-plate being formed With a groove leadingfrom the pitchers guide, and bat mechanism located in said groove, said base having ball receiving grooves formed or in its upper face, substantially as and for the purpose s ecified.' I

8. In a game apparatus, the com ination of a base, a field-plate supported thereon, l said field-plate being provided With a semicircular ridge,'a flange or'fence, and with home run apertures located at the ends of the semi-circular ridge, said semi-circular ridge being located in front of the center field portion of the plate,'said plate having short stop, right, left, and center field apertures formed therein, a center plate, a pitchers guide located centrally thereof, said cenlmutually adjacent edges ofthe plates being spaced to afford Ways arranged in the form f `of a diamond, a pitchers guide located centrally of the inner plate, said inner plate being formed with a groove leading from said guide, bat mechanism located in the groove said inner plate being formed with a l catch out aperture located at 'the rear of the pitchers guide, and image players adapted ter plate being formed with a groove leading to move in the Ways, one of the plates being formed with base apertures located at the junction of the Ways, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a game apparatus, the combination of a base, plates supported above the base, one of said plates surrounding the other, the mutually adjacent edges of the plates being spaced to aford Ways arranged in the form of a diamond, a pitchers guide located centrally of the inner-plate, said inner-plate being formed with a groove leading from said guide,'bat mechanism located in the groove said inner plate being formed With a catch out aperture located at the rear of the pitch-V ers guide, image players adapted to move in the Ways, one of the plates being Jformed ,t

with base apertures located at the junctions of the Ways, and hoods -located at the rear of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd base apertures, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

1l. In a gameapparatus, a structure including a supporting base, spaced plates' arranged thereabove one within the other, the inner plate having a centrally located. pitchers guide and ,agroove leading therefrom,

ARVINE N. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

J; A. JEFFERS, F. W. BOND. 

